Therapeutic exercise skate

ABSTRACT

A therapeutic exercise skate has a main foot support to which a mount is attached that receives riders having rollers at their end extremities, and which avoid imposing any weight on a patient&#39;&#39;s legs. The rollers are mounted rearwardly of the foot support with provision for adjusting the distance they so extend, thus to vary their height in use.

United States Patent 9] Mayo Apr. 9, 1974 THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE SKATE [76] Inventor: John H. Mayo, 528 Charles St., Fall River, Mass. 02724 [22] Filed: Oct. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 189,526

[52] US. Cl 272/57 D, 128/25 B [51] Int. Cl A63b 23/04 [58] Field of Search..... 272/57 R, 57 D, 57 A, 57 J; 128/25 R, 25 B; 3/2, 4-6, 16; 280/8701 A,

87.01 R, 87.04 A, 87.04 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,310,320 3/1967 Hanna et a1 272/57 A UX 2,408,597 10/1946 Belling 272/57 R 1,511,312 10/1924 Alastalo 272/57 D 3,351,353 11/1967 Weitzner 272/57 D UX 1,315,005 9/1919 Bartholomew 280/8701 1,948,534 2/1934 Nelson et a1. 128/25 B 1,997,139 4/1935 Gardener et al.... 272/57 R 2,250,493 7/1941 Milne 272/57 D 1 2,825,575 3/1958 Mickels 280/8704 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 342,227 10/1921 Germany 128/25 B Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley [57 ABSTRACT A therapeutic exercise skate has a main foot support to which a mount is attached that receives riders having rollers at their end extremities, and which avoid imposing any weight on a patients legs. The rollers are mounted rearwardly of the foot support with provision for adjusting the distance they so extend, thus to vary their height in use.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE SKATE The principal object of my invention is to provide a skate that enables a person wearing it to perform therapeutic exercise while sitting or lying down by position ing rollers at the rear of the skate, which rollers are capable of rotative movement.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my therapeutic exercise skate. I

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view, thereof, the front portion of the main support being broken away.

As illustrated, my skate has a main support or base embodying a heel portion 12 and a front portion 14 which are adjustably connected together in a wellknown way. Said heel portion 12 has an upstanding heel backer l3 later referred to. Said front portion 14 has the usual two clamps 15 which are joined by an elongate screw 15a. Said heel portion 12 has a slot 16 therethrough to receive a bolt 18 that also passes through said front portion 14 and is held by a wing nut 19 to make these parts adjustable in the usual way. Said heel portion 12 has a slot 20 therethrough to receive a bolt 21 that passes through said front portion 14, being held by a wing nut 22a, which parts serve to make the skate firmly adjustable, and are well known. A strap 23 passes through said backer l3 and helps hold the skate to a persons foot.

A mount or extension 22 is supported by said main support 10 and extends rearwardly of said heel portion 12. It is provided with two holes 24 and 26 at opposite sides which receive roller means having two riders 30 and 40. Said rider 30 has a leg 32 on the end of which is a well known roller or ball caster 34 rotatably set in a housing or socket 36 that screw-threadedly receives said leg 32. Said rider 40 is similar to rider 30, having a leg 42 on the end of which is a well-known roller 44 rotatably set in a housing 46 that receives said leg 42.

The positions of said riders 30 and 40 are made adjustable by retaining means shown as thumb screws 48 and 50 which extend screw-threadedly through said mount 22 and bear against said legs 32 and 42 respectively. To change the distance said riders 30 and 40 extend beyond said mount 22 one merely loosens said thumb screws 48 and 50, slides said legs to any position desired, and then tightens said screws.

To fixedly attach said mount 22 to said main support 10, said heel portion 12 is welded as at 52 to said mount. Also tabs 54 are fixed to said mount 22 and to said heel portion 12, being riveted to the latter as at 56.

In use, a person attaches my skate to ones shoe, and he assumes a sitting or lying position, so that the rollers rest on a board or the floor. Thus he exercises his feet and legs by moving the skate over a board or floor on said rollers 34 and 44. When he desires to change the height of said riders, he merely loosens said thumb screws and slides the legs 32 and 42 in said holes 24 and 26 in whatever direction he desires to effect raising or lowering of the riders.

A person recovering from a leg operation, for instance, may exercise his feet and legs, even though required to remain lying down, to thus strengthen the muscles, or improve the muscle tone, of his feet and legs, or otherwise achieve therapeutic improvement.

What I claim is:

l. A therapeutic exercise skate comprising a main support having a front and a heel portion, a mount attached to and extending coaxially beyond said heel portion and having two holes extending therethrough parallel to the longitudinal axis of said main support, roller means having legs, housings and rollers movably mounted in said housings, said legs being connected to said housings and being slidably mounted in and extending through said holes and beyond said heel portion and being laterally opposite the latter.

2. A therapeutic exercise skate as of claim I, retaining means having two pins adjustably extending into said mount and bearing against said legs when in retaining position, said mount having portions extending laterally and respectively at opposite sides of said main support, said pins extending laterally through said latter portions, and tabs at opposite sides of said mount and attached to the latter and to said main support. 

1. A therapeutic exercise skate comprising a main support having a front and a heel portion, a mount attached to and extending coaxially beyond said heel portion and having two holes extending therethrough parallel to the longitudinal axis of said main support, roller means having legs, housings and rollers movably mounted in said housings, said legs being connected to said housings and being slidably mounted in and extending through said holes and beyond said heel portion and being laterally opposite the latter.
 2. A therapeutic exercise skate as of claim 1, retaining means having two pins adjustably extending into said mount and bearing against said legs when in retaining position, said mount having portions extending laterally and respectively at opposite sides of said main support, said pins extending laterally through said latter portions, and tabs at opposite sides of said mount and attached to the latter and to said main support. 